Golf ball

ABSTRACT

A game ball such as a baseball, tennis ball or golf ball containing an impact-responsive explosive charge. Upon being struck by a bat, racket or club, the ball is somewhat deformed and the impact energizes the explosive charge which instantaneously generates internal pressure within the ball. The internal pressure causes the deformed ball to instantly resume its initial shape against the impacting club, thus assisting in imparting a propelling force to the ball. The ball remains internally pressurized after the first impact and the benefits of its pressurization are thus available for subsequent uses.

Jan. 25, 1972 United States Patent Fraley Primary ExaminerGeorge 1. Mario GOLlFBALL I I l Inventor: Thomas E. Fraley, 1040 Cathcart St., A mmey MunsonH Lane and MunsonH w Jacksonville, Fla. 3221 1 Oct. 30, 1968 ABSTRACT A game ball such as a baseball, tennis ball or golf ball containing an impact-responsive explosive cha by a bat, racket or club [22] Filed:

rge. Upon being struck the ball is somewhat deformed and the impact energizes the explosive charge which instantaneously generates internal pressure within the ball. The internal pressure causes the deformed ball to instantly resume its initial shape against the impacting club, thus assisting in impartin v :1

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propelling force to the ball. The ball remains internally prespressuriza- 273/199 235 surized after the first impact and the benefits of its tion are thus available for subsequent uses.

References Cited 6 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,664,397 Bens EXPLOSIVE CHARGE ENERGlZED BY DEFORMATION OF THE PROJECTILE PATENIED JAMZSIBYZ EXPLOSIVE CHARGE ENERGIZED BY DEFORMATION OF THE PROJECTILE INVENTOR II. E. mm

BY M

ATTORNEY GOLF BALL This invention relates to new and useful improvements in golf balls, and the principal object of the invention is to provide a ball which is capable of being propelled by a force greater than that which ordinarily arises from impact by a golf club, so that the ball may be driven over greater distances than heretofore possible.

This object is attained by providing the ball with an impact responsive explosive charge, capable of generating internal pressure within the ball instantly upon impact by a club. The internal pressure generated by the explosion cooperatively reacts against the impacting club, so that a substantially greater propelling force is imparted to the ball.

Ordinarily, the ball becomes somewhat deformed by impact of the club thereagainst, and another important feature of the invention is that when the deforming impact sets off the explosive charge in the ball, the generated internal pressure causes the deformed ball to instantly resume its initial shape against the impacting club, thus further assisting in the development of a greater propelling force for the ball.

Another important characteristic of the invention is that after the first impact and explosion, the generated internal pressure is retained within the ball and the pressurized ball is suitable for further uses with benefits of pressurization being derived when the ball is subsequently struck by a club.

With the foregoing more important object and features in view and such other objects and features as may become apparent as this specification proceeds, the invention will be understood from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like characters of reference are used to designate like parts, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a golf ball in accordance with one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the ball of FIG. 1 during impact by a club shown by dotted lines;

FIG. 3 is an elevational view showing the ball of FIG. 2 upon return to its initial shape against the impacting club;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a ball in accordance with a modified embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a ball in accordance with another modified embodiment.

Before describing the invention in detail, it is to be noted that although the invention is referred to as being embodied in a golf ball used in conjunction with a golf club, the invention is not limited to this particular environment and may also be embodied in various other types of projectiles, such as baseballs, tennis balls, et cetera, which are used with bats, rackets or other types of projectors.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail, more particularly to FIGS. 1-3 thereof, the golf ball comprises a body portion comprising the usual rubber thread winding 11 with an outer covering 12 of gutta percha, or the like. In accordance with the invention, an impact responsive explosive charge 13 is provided within the ball, for example as a core around which the rubber thread 11 is wound, if the material of the explosive charge is sufficiently hard in form to serve as such a core. If the explosive material is in the form of a powder or liquid, it may be contained in a suitable capsule, thus providing a core for the rubber thread winding.

In any event, the explosive material 13 is characterized in that upon impact it is capable of generating internal pressure within the ball. This is indicated in FIG. 2 which shows the ball 10 impacted by a golf club 14, the impact causing the explosive charge 13 to be set off, with the generated internal pressure radiating through the rubber thread winding 11 to the outer covering 12, as depicted by the arrows 15. The arrow 16 indicates the direction of movement of the club 14 in impacting the ball.

The setting off of the explosive charge 13 may arise from shock of the impact. However, it is well known that when a golf ball is struck by a club, the ball becomes somewhat deformed or flattened at the area of its contact with the club. This deformation is indicated at D in Fig. 2, the extent of deformation being exaggerated for illustrative purposes. In

any event, such deformation acting either alone, or in conjunction with the shock of impact, may also function to set off the explosive charge.

The charge 13 is exploded upon impact of the ball by the club, causing generation ofinternal pressure within the ball as aforesaid. This internal pressure returns the deformed ball to its initial shape, while the ball is still in contact with the impacting club, as shown in FIG. 3. As a result, the ball is propelled in the direction of the arrow 17 with a much greater propelling force than would ordinarily arise from impact by the club alone. This is not only because the generated internal pressure in the ball cooperatively reacts against the impact of the club, but also because the propelling force is increased by expansion of the deformed ball to its initial shape while it is still in contact with the club. Consequently, the increased propelling force permits the ball to be driven over greater distances than has heretofore been possible.

The nature of the explosive charge 13 may be suitably selected so that the charge is capable of producing the desired results. By way of an example, the explosive charge may consist of sodium nitrate in the form of a so-called cherry bomb, or it may be nitroglycerin in the form ofdynamite. Also, it may consist of various forms of sodium and acids in separate containers, as exemplified in FIG. 4 where the explosive agents are provided in separate containers 18, 19. These may be one within the other as shown or suitably juxtaposed, the containers being frangible by impact and/or deformation, so that the agents therein may become mixed to produce the desired explosion and generation of internal pressure within the ball.

It is to be noted that after the first impact and explosion the generated internal pressure is retained within the ball so that when the ball is struck by a club on subsequent occasions, the benefits of internal pressurization are still derived to that extent, in imparting an increased propelling force to the ball.

However, if it should be desired to provide an explosion along with a fresh generation of internal pressure each time the ball is struck, an arrangement such as is shown in FIG. 5 may be used. Here, the ball if formed with a blind bore or cavity 20 which is open at the outer surface of the ball, so that an explosive charge in the form ofa plug or capsule 21 may be inserted into the bore. Conveniently, the explosive charge 21 may be removably held in place, as by a screw-threaded plug 22, so that after the explosion has occurred upon first impact, the spent charge may be removed and replaced by a fresh charge, in readiness for striking the ball again.

What is claimed as new is:

1. In a projectile such as a golf ball or the like, for use with an impact-type projector such as a golf club or the like, said projectile comprising a spherical body portion of elastomcric material and an outer covering; the improvement which com prises a core embedded within the body portion and comprising an impact responsive explosive charge capable of generating internal pressure within the projectile upon impact thereof by a projector, whereby to assist in imparting a propelling force to the projectile.

2. The projectile as defined in claim 1 which is further characterized in that is is deformable by impact of a projector thereagainst, said explosive charge being energized by deformation of the projectile and the internal pressure generated by the explosion causing the projectile to resume its initial shape against the impacting projector.

3. The projectile as defined in claim 1 which is further characterized as having structural characteristics which permit the internal pressure generated by the explosion of said charge to be retained within the projectile after the actuating impact.

4. The projectile as defined in claim 2 which is further characterized as having structural characteristics which permit the internal pressure generated by the explosion of said charge to be retained within the projectile after the deforming impact and after the projectile has resumed its initial form.

5. A projectile as defined in claim I wherein the core is spherical and is located at the center of the body portion.

6. A projectile as defined in claim 1 wherein the core is cylindrical and the explosive charge is enclosed in a capsule extending substantially to the center of the body portion. 

2. The projectile as defined in claim 1 which is further characterized in that it is deformable by impact of a projector thereagainst, said explosive charge being energized by deformation of the projectile and the internal pressure generated by the explosion causing the projectile to resume its initial shape against the impacting projector.
 3. The projectile as defined in claim 1 which is further characterized as having structural characteristics which permit the internal pressure generated by the explosion of said charge to be retained within the projectile after the actuating impact.
 4. The projectile as defined in claim 2 which is further characterized as having structural characteristics which permit the internal pressure generated by the explosion of said charge to be retained within the projectile after the deforming impact and after the projectile has resumed its initial form.
 5. A projectile as defined in claim 1 wherein the core is spherical and is located at the center of the body portion.
 6. A projectile as defined in claim 1 wherein the core is cylindrical and the explosive charge is enclosed in a capsule extending substantially to the center of the body portion. 